An Application of Kriging Method to Study Ice Volume Changes Using ERS Radar Altimetry Data

In preparation for laser altimetry data produced by the Geoscience Laser Altimeter System (GLAS) on board of the Ice, Cloud, and Land Elevation Satellite (ICESat), we will apply kriging method to existing radar altimetry data from the two European Remote Sensing Satellites missions ERS-1 and ERS-2 to study elevation change in Antarctica. Our primary goals are to investigate the extent to which radar altimetry can resolve ice-volume change due to annual and long term effects, and to test softwares which will be used for GLAS. Previously known problems associated with ice-sheet roughness anisotropy, slope distribution anisotropy will be addressed in modeling anisotropic covariance functions. We will use previously calculated topography models based on ERS-1/ERS-2 as our a-priori information and compare and cross-check our elevation change results with those done in parallel by Zwally et al [\textsl{2001}] based on other techniques. A comparison summary of different techniques used to study ice-volume balance will be presented to demonstrate the effectiveness and/or advantages/disadvantages of using kriging.